The summer rains have stopped, at least for a while, and area river levels are falling.
Good fishing should follow.
Here are a couple of suggestions to try for river smallmouth bass.
• The Mississippi River north of the Twin Cities. The nearest good stretch might be between Monticello and Elk River. A canoe or kayak will get you downstream safely, also a john boat, provided you're willing to take an occasional nick on your outboard's skeg and perhaps prop. Mepps spinners are a must, and throw in various small crankbaits, including surface baits you can twitch on top as you retrieve them after casting them toward shore. Jigs with rubber legs — Ugly Bugs work great — will produce a lot of fish, as will, for fly anglers, poppers.
• The Upper St. Croix, paddling down to Grantsburg, Wis., (as in the photo above) from any number of upriver launch sites. If you have a canoe, shuttle service is available from Wild River Outfitters in Grantsburg. If you don' t have a canoe, Wild River will rent one to you. Fly fishing can be very productive along this stretch of the river, as can spin fishing (rigged the same way as described above). The possibility of picking up a northern, walleye and even muskie also exists.
